UA sets ceremonies for basketball greats

Credit: Democrat-Gazette file photo
Arkansas’ Corliss Williamson (center) drives between Duke’s Grant Hill (left) and Cherokee Parks during the 1994 NCAA championship game in Charlotte, N.C. “We had a team full of guys who accepted their roles and played those roles to their best of their ability,” Williamson said.

Arkansas will have ceremonies during the next basketball season to honor two of the program's most famous players as well as the Razorbacks' winningest head coach.

The school will hang Sidney Moncrief's retired No. 32 jersey at Bud Walton Arena next season in addition to retiring the No. 34 worn by Corliss Williamson. Arkansas will also hang a No. 390 banner commemorating the number of wins by former coach Nolan Richardson.

Arkansas Celebrates Final Four Teams

Former President Bill Clinton and former Arkansas coaches Nolan Richardson and Eddie Sutton were among those recognized Saturday at Bud Walton Arena.
(By Andrew Hutchinson)
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Moncrief is currently the only player in school history to have his number retired. That ceremony took place in Barnhill Arena, but the jersey never made it to the rafters of Bud Walton Arena after the venue was opened in 1993.

Williamson was the most valuable player of the 1994 Final Four and two-time Southeastern Conference player of the year. Richardson is a finalist for the 2014 Basketball Hall of Fame class.

Moncrief, Williamson and Richardson were among several former Arkansas players and coaches recognized during a ceremony Saturday honoring the Razorbacks' six Final Four teams. Other notable former players in attendance were U.S. Reed, Jim Counce, Scotty Thurman, Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, Oliver Miller and Corey Beck.

Former Razorbacks coach Eddie Sutton was also in attendance. In addition the university gave a No. 42 jersey to former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who was attending his first game in Fayetteville since the 1995-96 season.